Automatic mail-carrier.



Lf.Y M. SCHWBNDEMANN. AUTOMATIC MAIL CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED SBPT.10, 1913l j agfgggan Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

3 SHEETSw-SHEET l.

anne nto@ JOHN M SQHWENOEMBNN Patented Dee. 16, 1913.

3 SHBETS-SHBET 2.

, MN mw d E M I I a. om I M. I M u wm w m. im, @I I vx m l Ov Om, |11 Nrm-w l. M. SCHWENDEMANN.

AUTOMATIC MAIL CARRIER.

AJIIILIQIITION FILED sEPT.1o, 191s. 1,081,409t

1. 1v1. SUHWENDBMANN. AUTOMATIC MAIL CARRIER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT, 1150, 1913.

Patented Dea. 16, 1913.

Vclll WMM/venom are section throu h t JoHN M. souvienne-Menu, or DOUGLAS, OKLAHOMA. p

AUTOMATIC MAIL-CARRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application iled September 10, 1913. Seria1`1o.`789,210.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Jol-1N M. Somvnnnn MANN, a citizen of the United States, re-

sidin at Douglas, in the county of Garfield and tate of Oklahoma, have invented cer- .tan new and'usieful Improvements in AutomaticpMail-Carriers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings.v i

This invent-ion comprehends certain new and useful improvements in automati'cmail carriers and has" foitits 'primary object to provide an automatic mail carrying appa'- ra'tus which will be especially adapted for use in rural districts. k j Another object is to generally improve the construction and operation of Ycarriers of this t pe and construct fthe same so that they ma be readily employed for carrying the mail between -the ouse and the road,` or from the postLoiice to the patrons homes.

Atfurtherv object is to provide a device of this character having a pair of independent motors connected with `sepa-rateand independent trolley wheels to operate the same, ,and a shifting mechanism, whereby either motor may be thrown into operation to cause the carrier to travel in the proper direction upon the trolley or cable.

.A further object is to provide novel shifting` or reversln mechanism and a novel ,"formgof stop an; latch mechanism for a device of this character and to generally improveand simplify the construction and operation,of` the various parts'oi `the device andincrease the eiciency of the same.v

With the above and other objects in iew, myinvention consists in certain novel`\on struction, combinations, and arran ements of arts to be Ihereinafter more flly descri ed.clain1ed, and illustratedin the `accompanying drawings, inwhich,

Figure 1 isv an elevational view of my devica, 1n `osition upon one end of the trolley; 121s an enlarged longitudinal vertical e carrier with parts brokenaway orthe sake of c earness; Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section through one end of.' the apparatus, with parts broken lioaway; Fig. 4 1s a horizontal. sectional view `thro`u h one end `ofthe apparatusylig 5. is a etail 'horizontal sectional .View on the V li'ne,5'f5l lojfmFigl 3, lookin in the direction -7 indicated by the arrow,t el car and cable tional view t 7 is a vertical transverse sec-.` rough one 'endoi the device,l 5.

Iatented'Dem 16, 1913. if" .i

showing the stop and latch mechanism-inl` operative positiomparts being removedmf 1g. Si` is a vertical longitudinall section through; the, end, showing the stop and latch mecha;, t

this figure for the sake of clearncss;

` nism in operative position; fand Fig. 9 isa horizontal sectiona view through the appa;-

ratus, looking down upon the stop and latcln mechanism `with fthe same Jshown in full lines while only a few of the other parts" 0l are4 shown in clearnes's. i

Referring more s ecically to the'drawz ings in which simiar reference characters lines, `forthe sake of designate corresponding 'parts throughout the 'several views, 1 designates" the car of `the apparatus which is preferably of rec.- tangu ar formv with its ends 2 pointed, -as clearly shown in Fig.vv 1, `andlias afcen'tral l or main compartment 3 toreceive mail matyl-1.1; ter `or the like, and a door'4`for `closing said y compartmentsaid door carrying alatchv of asuitable' form for retaining the door in closed position, it being understood that the door ishinged' along 6. The car is provided with the vertical partitions 7 to separate, the main or central compartment 3 from the end compartments one edge, as shown nog 8 `within which are positioned suitable sprmg motors,las willbe presently fully det.,

scribed. y

i Within each end compartment is a mainl sha-it, 9jupon whichismounted a spring 10 and a large gear wheel 11. The large gearv Ywheel 11 1s `connected by means of an inter` .mediate gear wheel 12 to another gear wheel tl3-lmountedL`upon the shaft "14 which also carries. a second sprin 15. It 4will be -u'nderstood that the sha f 9` and 'rotate in the same direction, un `spective springs 10 and 15." It will -also `be understood that each of 'the springs is secured by oneend toits respectiveshaft and by its otherend to a stationary member secured .to the wall' of thcendcompartment@ 8. The shaft 9alsolcarries a gear wheel 16- which meshes with the gear wheel 17 mounted' on the shaft 18 which also carries a larger gear wheel 19. The gear wheel 19 meshes with a gear wheel'QO mounted u on the stub shaft 21 carried in the upwar 1y directed plate 22 secured to the upper portion ofthe 'verticalsectional view `on the line oouter face of the car 1 and extending longitudinally thereof.: I l f, p.

r action of their re-v,

los

'wheel 23 and the pulley or. trolley wheel 2S rotatably mounted therein, it being under.v

stood that the U-shaped bracket member'25 forms a continuation of the standard 26 which projects'upwardly from the plate 22 directly above the stub shaft 21, one end of the bracket member 25 connecting with the upper end of said standard 26. It will be understood that the gear wheel 23 is mounted upon the shaft 24 latter and a spacin collar 27 is loosely mounted upon the s aft between the which is loosely mounted u on the shaft 24 vand carries the clutch mem er 29 upon one ace which isadapted to be engaged at times Y y portion 31 upon its outer face with the annular flange or head 32 formed in its outer end and engaged in the lower end of the arm 33 which is loosely mounted upon the shaft l24 and carries the curved finger 34 for engagement at times against the inner face of the outer arm lof the U-shaped member 25 to force the cam member 30 into enga ement with the cam member '29 and there y cause the loose pulley or trolley wheel 28 to rotate with the shaft 24. and thereby cause the car l to -move in the' proper direction beneath the cable 35, -upon which the pulley or"trolley wheel,28 is engaged. It will be understood that the cable 35 is suitably mounted' upon the Vouter ends of the bracket arms 36 secured to and projecting laterally from the posts 37. The central portion of theU-shaped bracket member is supported by the brace rod 38 which has one end connected" therewith and its opposite end connected with the plate 22, as will be readily understood by referring to Fig. 2. The upper end of the'arm 33 is provided with ari-elongated longitudinall slot 39 and Y a pin 40 is engaged through this slot, said pin being carried by one end of the shift rod 41 which hasthe handle 42 formed upon oneend.' It will therefore be seen that as there are two arms 33, when the shift rod 41 isy in one position, ried by vo ne of the curved arm 34 carthe arms 33 will be engaged with the inner face of the outer arm of its respective Ulshaped 'bracket member 25, thereby retaining the clutch member 30 in engagement with the clutch member 39 at this end of the device and causing the car to moveA in the proper direction upon the cable 35.` `lVhen the shift rod is reversed, however, cans-ing the arms- 33 to swing to their opposite positions upon the shafts 24 it will disengage the first curved arm from the brat-liet member 25 andvcngagc the other arm 34 with its. bracket near `one end of, the.

the clutch member 30 keyed to the shaftl 24 and having an extended reduced or neckmember 25, thereby withdrawing the first clutch member 30 from engagement with its clutch member 29 and engaging the outer. clutch member. with its clutch member 29, thereby allowing the car to move in the opposite direction under action of the springs 10 and 15 of the other motor.

In order to stop the car at each end of the cable, I have provided a novel form of sto and latch for each motor. Each vstop an latch mechanism comprises a. latch bar 43 which is pivoted at one end, as shown at 44, near the pointed end of the compartment 8 and within the same and is provided with the depending pointed latch teeth 45 adapted for engagement in the xteeth of the ratchet pvoted end 44 to its lowermost position. The end of the rod 46, which has its lower end ivoted to the right angled end 47 ofthe ever 48 which depends through the opening 49 in the lower wall of the compartment. 8, said lever being ivoted in the compartment 8 at its bend, as s own at 50. Duringoperation of the motor, theA lever 48 is in the lposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8 and as the car nears the end of thecableor at any otherpoint at which it is desiredv to stop offset free end 51 ofthe stop arm 52'securedA to one of the osts 37 and extending beneath the car 1 and) This will cause the lever 48 to swing u on its pivot. 50 to the position shown in ill lines in 3the latch bar43 downwardly and engage the teeth45 thereof with the` teeth of the ratchet wheels 11 and 13, as previously stated, thereby stopping operation of the motor. end secured to the rod 46, as shown at 54,

secured to the lower wall of the c'ornpart` vment' 8, serves to retain the latch bar 43 in clearly understood, owing to the upper end 47 of the lever 48 being extended at right angles to the main portion thereof and the lever pivoted at its Vbend, as shown at '50, as will be clearl apparent by referring to Fig. 8.v It lvwill ble understood that one motor is held vagainst operation by its latch bar 43 'during operation of the other motor and therefore when the second motor is stopped, the car ispievented from moving in either direction. 1It will also be understood that movement of the lever 48 is limited in either directionby the slot 49 through which the lever extends.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided an automatic mail carrier which will be highly efficient and effective in use as well as extremely simple in latch bar 43 is connected to the upperI in the path of the lever 48..4

Fig. V8, causing the rod 46 to drawV The helical spring 43 which has one wheels 11 and 13 to stop operation of the motor when the latch bar swings upon its' the car, the lever 48 engages the raised or ioo and its other end fastened to the'bracket, 55 K eitherA raised or lowered. position, as will be construction and operation. It'will Le understood, however, that while I have shown the'preferred embodiment of my invention, minor changes in the details of construction may be made Within the scope of the appended claims witl At departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing any o the advantages of the same.

What I claim is zl. A device of the class described con prising a ear, a trolley, a pair of spaced trolley Wheels above the opposite ends of the car, means? for supporting the Wheels in proper position, the opposite ends of the car'being pointed and separated from the main portion of the car by partitions thereby forming a main compartment an end compartments,- rneans for closing the main compartment, a motor within each end compartment, means -for suspending the car .below the trolley wire, and means for ops erating either trolley Wheel from the 'motor below the same.

2. A device of the class described. comprising a ear having a main compartment and end compartments, a motor Within each end compartment, means for closing the main` compartment, a trolley wheel above each end compartnlent, means for supportingthe trolley wheels, connections between the trolley wheels and the motors therebeneath, and means for disconnecting either trolley wheel from its motor while the other trolley wheel is connected with its motor.

,trolley wheel, and means .car for supporting the trolle 3. A device of the class described com-- prising a ear, a trolley wire above the car, means for suspending the car from the trolley wire, means for resiliently retaining the suspending means in normal position, a spring motor within the car, a stop member, means for engagement with the stop member to stop operation oi the motor, said stop member projecting through the bottom of the car, a trolley wheel above the car and engaged upon the trolley wire, transmission mechanism between the motor and the for throwing `the transmission mechanism ont. of operation.

-l. A device of the class described comprising a ear, a motor in one end of the car, a `trolley above the car, a trolley wheel; mounted on the trolley, means carried by the wheel, means tor operatively connecting tic trolley with the motor, means for automatically stopping operation ot the motor, means for retaining the last mentioned means in inoperative position, and meansvfor releasing the motor stopping means.

5. A. device of the class described comprising a car, independent motors within the above the car, trolley Wheels y car, a trolley mounted uponl the trolley, means carried by the car for supporting the trolley wheels, connections between the motors and the trolley wheels, means for disconnecting one ot'. the trolley Wheels from its motor, stop members projecting from the car, .means for resiliently retaining the stop members in p0- sition, means for reversing the position ot the stop members, and means connected vwith the stop members for engagement with the motors to sto the same u on reversal of the position of t e stop mem rs.

6. A device of the class described comprising a car,

wheel above each end of the car, means for supporting the trolley wheels above the ends of the car, connections between each trolley wheel and the motor therebeneath, means for disconnecting either trolley wheel from its` mot-or, means for stopping operation of either motor, and means for actuating the last mentioned means.

7. A device of the class described comprising a car having a central compartment and end compartments,'motors Within said end compartments, a trolley above the car, trolley wheels mounted above the op osite ends of the car and connected Wit motors in the respective ends of sai car, said trolley wheels beine` engaged upon the trolley, and means for c isconnecting either trolley wheel from its motor.

S. A device of the class described comprising a car motors Within said car, a trolley4 above the car, trolley wheels mounted on the trolley, means carried by the car for supporting the trolley wheels, transmission mechanism between each motor and the adjacent trolley wheel, means for :internatically stopping operation of the motor, means for retaining the last mentioned means in inoperative position, and means for releasing the motor stoppingmeans.

ln testimony whereof I herenntoax my,`

a motor Within each end of .the car, a trolley above the car, a trolley the i 

